Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Cohesion Plus

  • Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival

    Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival

    The Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival returned to Calverley Grounds on Sunday 23rd July. The free to attend community celebrations were organised in partnership by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus, supported by Arts Council England and Royal Tunbridge Wells Together.

    Festival attendees who attended in their thousands experienced a full, culturally diverse artistic programme both on and off stage, comprising of both local and national talent. Also available were free musical workshops for ages 0-5, parents and guardians as well as cuisine from around the world for attendees to enjoy.

    Civic guests were also in attendance including Deputy Lieutenant Georgie Warner, Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Cllr Huges Patterson and Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Cllr Ben Chapelard who spoke from the main stage about the importance of coming together to celebrate community and diversity.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, CEO of KECC who produced the Mela commented, “We are incredibly pleased that we were able to deliver another community focused, culturally diverse event consisting of art forms and artists from around the world. The ethos of the Mela Festival is to bring people together to celebrate difference in a positive and enlightening way. The fact that Tunbridge Wells has been so receptive to the event over the course of a decade speaks volumes about the area and how community matters regardless of ethnicity, background, faith and gender. We always look forward to coming to Tunbridge Wells to deliver this event and are already planning on returning next year.”

  • Windrush Celebrations take place across Gravesend, Dartford and Maidstone

    Windrush Celebrations take place across Gravesend, Dartford and Maidstone

    A week of activity took place across Gravesend, Dartford and Maidstone to celebrate Windrush Day and the 75th Anniversary of the arrival of the SSE Windrush. Organised and delivered by the North Kent Caribbean Network and supported by Cohesion Plus, Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Dartford Borough Council, Gravesham Dartford Borough Council and Kent County Council.

    The programme of events were launched by a flag raising and networking event in Dartford which was attended by Deputy Lieutenant Kelvin Holford and Leader of the Council Cllr Jeremy Kite as well as staff members from Dartford Borough Council and community members.

    This was followed by a community luncheon in Gravesham which saw community guests and senior staff from Gravesham Borough Council. The event was also an opportunity to showcase exhibition produced by the NKCN called ‘The Front Room’ which serves as a time capsule for what would have been a typical household for those who arrived from the Caribbean to the UK.

    Furthermore, a special Windrush event and flag raising ceremony took place on Thursday 22nd June at County Hall in Maidstone to mark 75 years since the arrival of the SSE Windrush to the UK in 1948. The event began the flag raising outside of Sessions House which was attended by partners, community and NKCN group members as well as KCC and Kent Police colleagues. The flag which was designed by a volunteer from NKCN, flew centre stage at the top of Sessions House and was flown for the remainder of the week to mark the national celebrations for Windrush 75.

    The flag raising was followed by a luncheon serving traditional Caribbean cuisine that was attended by civic guests including High Sheriff of Kent Nadra Ahmed and Chairman of Kent County Council Cllr Gary Cooke. Also in attendance were the Leader of KCC Cllr Roger Gough and Chief Superintendent Shaun White from Kent Police.

    The exhibition was presented in its entirety at County Hall and gave those in attendance the opportunity to interact to view it as well as talk with the Windrush generation from North Kent who were also on hand to talk about their experiences and challenges working, studying and living in the UK.

  • Eid Community Mela

    Eid Community Mela

    The Fort Gardens in Gravesham saw over 1000 people attend the Eid Community Mela on Sunday 4th June. The Mela celebrations were produced by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus, working with Gravesend Skills Centre, Involve Kent and local community members. The ethos of the Mela was to celebrate Eid and bring communities together regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender and socio economic background.

    There was wide array of activity both on and off stage with civic guests such as the High Sheriff Nadra Ahmed MBE DL, Deputy Lieutenant Rosemary Dymond and Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Gurdip Bungar who all spoke at the celebrations and congratulated those marking the occasion.

    Off stage attendees were able to enjoy free musical workshops for young ages by the Playground Project, cricket workshops by Kent County Cricket Club working with Gravesham Cricket Club as well as face painting, fun fair and a range of food and community stalls including Kent Police, Rethink Mental Illness and Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of KECC commented “Community cohesion is the absolute heart of everything we do, breaking down barriers and raising awareness to better promote understanding and unity. The Eid Community Mela was the embodiment of those ideals with the event being open to everyone regardless of faith. The event was a great way to bring everyone together to celebrate Eid in a fun and interactive way. We are thankful to everyone who attended and we look forward to putting on even bigger and better community celebrations in the future.”

    Khawar Khurshid from local company Gravesend Skills Centre who were one of the key community partners for the Mela commented “We were proud to support the Eid Community Mela. Eid is a special time for the Muslims around the world and this time it was made extra special for us in Gravesham as we were able to celebrate with all of our friends and colleagues at the Mela regardless of faith.”

  • Saint George’s Day celebrations bring smiles to faces

    Saint George’s Day celebrations bring smiles to faces

    Despite the weather Dartford Town Centre played host to two days of celebrations to mark Saint George’s Day with a dragon, stilt walkers, musicians and St George himself making an appearance. The aim of the festivities were to celebrate diverse England in the context of 2023, bringing communities together as well as educating young people about Saint George the patron Saint of England.

    Friday 21st April saw Dartford Town Centre brought to a standstill when the school and community parade to mark Saint George’s Day took place. A record 10 Schools and 600 children took part in the parade alongside Civic and community guests including the Deputy Mayor of Dartford Cllr Rosanna Currans and Deputy Lieutenant of Kent Kelvin Holford.

    The celebrations were produced by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Dartford Borough Council, Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Same Sky and supported by Arts Council England.

    The school and community parade on Friday which went through Dartford Town Centre before climaxing in Central Park proved to be very popular. The parade featured an array of performers including DDFK Brass Band, Kings of Dhol, Premier Brass Band, stilt walkers, Kits Coty Morris Dancers a musical Victorian Pram and a roaming giant dragon who were all led by North Kent resident Russell Palmer in full Saint George costume.

    The parade went through the town centre before finishing in Central Park where the national anthem was sung and the flag of Saint George was waved with pride by the children and the members of the public in attendance.

    Further celebrations took place on Saturday in the town centre which saw an array of performers including Premier Brass Band, Saint George and the Dragon, street performers as well as a live DJ who played English themed pop songs throughout the day.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the Artistic Director of Cohesion Plus who produced the celebrations commented “Despite the challenges of the weather we were really proud of what we were able to deliver in Dartford with 2 days of wonderful entertainment which brought together the diverse communities of the borough to celebrate Saint George’s Day. For me it is vital we use events like Saint George’s Day to bring communities together, to create shared experiences and celebrate what unites us rather than divides us.”

    Sarah Martin, Chief Officer and Director of Corporate Services at Dartford Borough Council, said: ““Dartford Borough Council is proud to continue to support such an important event in our annual calendar. It’s a wonderful sight to see the parade set off from the Civic Centre through the town centre, and we know how much local people enjoying seeing it every year.
    “Providing two days of activity seemed only fitting and we’re grateful to everyone who made this possible. Well done everyone involved.”

  • Festival Lights Up Dartford!

    Festival Lights Up Dartford!

    The Dartford Festival of Light returned to the borough for its 13th year on Friday 25th November. Organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and Dartford Borough Council, the aim of the festival was to bring diverse communities together to celebrate the shared British values of respect, friendship, diversity and community. The festival was supported by Arts Council England and sponsored by local business KKB Group.

    In the build-up artistic partners Same Sky worked with 11 schools from across the borough to create lanterns which celebrated the values of the festival working with 600 children.

    The festival started with a series of street performances as the children lit up their lanterns on the High Street. The parade led by Kelvin Holford Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, the Mayor of Dartford Cllr Paul Cutler and the Leader of Dartford Borough Council Cllr Jeremy Kite MBE then started and went through the town centre before finishing in Central Park. The festival climaxed with a spectacular fireworks display which was greatly enjoyed by the audience.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “This event’s biggest strength is the sheer number of people it brings together from across the borough, young and old, urban and rural, different faiths and backgrounds but all united as residents of Dartford. We are grateful to all of our partners for all their ongoing support including Dartford Borough Council and our event sponsors KKB, it is nice to see local businesses supporting community celebrations like this.”

  • Communities Come Together to launch Christmas Celebrations in Gravesham

    Communities Come Together to launch Christmas Celebrations in Gravesham

    Gravesham Town Centre once again played host to the beloved Gravesham Festival of Christmas Lights Parade and Switch On, which took place on Friday 18th November.

    The lantern parade was established by Kent Equality Cohesion Council over 10 years ago to coincide with the Cultural Olympiad and since then has gone from strength to strength. Now linked to the Christmas Lights Switch On, this year’s event was produced in partnership with Cohesion Plus and Gravesham Borough Council and was part funded by Arts Council England.

    The parade was the biggest to date with 16 schools taking part from across the borough with an estimated 2000 people walking in the parade alone.

    The celebrations were attended by local dignitaries including Deputy Lieutenant of Kent Bhargawa Vasudaven, The Mayor of Gravesham Peter Scollard, local councillors and representatives from various faith and community organisations.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “I am really proud of what we have achieved with the lantern parade in Gravesham over the past 10 years. This event is a great example of our work in action, bringing together the diverse communities from across the borough to celebrate as one, creating shared experiences and promoting cohesion and understanding. As ever, great credit to all of our partners for working with us to create such a special event.”

  • Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham

    Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham

    Residents of North Kent attended annual Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham which boasted a spectacular programme of performances, films, speeches and presentations on Thursday 20th October. Organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with North Kent Caribbean Network and Cohesion Plus, the event was attended by local residents, community groups and civic guests and was funded by Involve Kent and Arts Council England.

    Civic guests included Deputy Lieutenant Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Peter Scollard, KCC Chair Cllr Lesley Game and Chief Constable Tim Smith all of whom spoke about the significant contributions Black communities had made to the UK past and present.

    There were musical performances from young local talent Kofi as well as films showcased by GTown Talent and NHS Diversity and Inclusion lead Helanna Irvine which focused on domestic abuse and the Windrush Generation’s impact on the NHS post World War II.

    As part of the event, special community awards were awarded to local community heroes, organisations and residents Genny Jones, GTown Talents, Mina Smith, Medway Culture Club and Dr Vasudaven DL. Each award winner was recognised for the positive contribution and impact that they made through their community initiatives, artistic offerings, service to the community and volunteering.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council of the event commented, “We are so proud of the celebrations we delivered this month working in partnership with North Kent Caribbean Network. We aim to get bigger and better year upon year and especially with the 75th anniversary of Windrush taking place next year our ambitions are high. We look forward to working again with valued partners NKCN to deliver future events that promote and champion coming together to celebrate shared values and experiences.”

    Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean commented, “It’s such a pleasure to deliver this event working with KECC, in order to celebrate all the wonderful work and contributions made by members of the diverse community past and present. Events like these serve to remind us that there is more that unites us than divides us and that there is a whole history of events and people that have shaped who we are today. Those events and people unfortunately have been overlooked and forgotten in the past, however these celebrations serve as a valuable reminder to acknowledge our shared heritage.”

  • Maidstone Community Mela celebrates Her Majesty The Queen

    Maidstone Community Mela celebrates Her Majesty The Queen

    After much discussion and advice from both local and national partners the Maidstone Community Mela took place on Sunday September 11th. The Community Mela became a celebration of Queen Elizabeth ll life, and contribution to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

    The Community Mela started with the National Anthem performed by Phase 5 Streel Band and then a minute of silence which was impeccably observed.

    Throughout the day images of the Queen’s life were shown on a big screen along with tributes from Civic Leaders from the borough. The Proclamation from Jubilee Square of the new monarch King Charles lll was also screened live and each stall had images of Her Majesty displayed as a sign of respect.

    There was a programme of entertainment both on and off stage reflecting the best of British and Commonwealth arts and culture, with the majority of the acts from Maidstone and other areas of Kent.

    The Chief Guest was Deputy Lieutenant Bill Cockcroft who was representing the Lord Lieutenant the Monarch’s personal representative in the County of Kent. He spoke about Her Majesty’s life of service to the nation and the Commonwealth.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented: “. We were very mindful of the mood of intense sadness which is being felt across the nation and the world. In the end after much discussion with community partners and funders I am pleased that we did carry on with the Mela, it allowed the local community to come together and pay their respects and celebrate the life of Queen Elizabeth ll.

    The Mela was produced by a group of community partners led by Maidstone Cultural Group, Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council and was supported by Arts Council England and Maidstone Borough Council.

  • Gravesham Pride celebrations

    Gravesham Pride celebrations

    Third Pride Celebrations a huge success

    After months of hard work the Gravesham Pride celebrations took place on Saturday August 13th and were the biggest in the borough to date.

    The celebrations were produced by the volunteers that make up the Gravesham Pride Committee working in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus.

    The event was officially began with the raising of the Pride Flags on Community Square where dignitaries such as Dr Vasudaven DL, the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent the Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Leisure Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox welcomed those in attendance and spoke about the importance of celebrating Pride.

    They were joined by Helanna Bowler-Irvine the Chair of Gravesham Pride, Gurvinder Sandher MBE from KECC and Cllr Steve Thompson. The key message was about unity, hope, overcoming barriers and bringing the diverse communities of Gravesham together.

    The first ever Gravesham Pride March involving around 300 participants then took place, starting from Community Square and via the High Street and Crooked Lane ending up at the Fort Gardens. The march was clapped through the route and welcomed as it went through the town centre.

    The celebrations then continued with a programme of entertainment in Fort Gardens featuring a There was also a live broadcast by GlitterBeam Radio a global LGBTQ+ radio station. Also in attendance were partners such as Kent Police and Kent Adult Education.

    The event was supported by a range of funders including The National Lottery Community Fund and Gravesham Borough Council as well as income from stalls and donations made by members of the public.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE, Artistic Director of KECC commented, “I am incredibly proud that we were able to help deliver the second Gravesham Pride event, a colourful and inclusive event that celebrates the distinct uniqueness of people and the way these differences, if championed, can ultimately bring us all together. This is the 3rd year of Gravesham Pride and it will only get bigger and better. We are very grateful to Gravesham Pride Committee and Gravesham Borough Council for their partnership and team work. We look forward to putting on future Pride events with a view to make these celebrations an annual affair.”

  • Tunbridge Wells Mela 2022 a Huge Success

    Tunbridge Wells Mela 2022 a Huge Success

    The 16th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival took place in Calverley Grounds on Sunday 24th July 2022 and saw thousands turn out to support. The Mela was organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council supported by Arts Council England and Royal Tunbridge Wells Together.

    Festival goers were able to enjoy a rich and culturally diverse artistic programme both on and off stage. Highlights included the Paul Dunton Orchestra and Sahrudaya West Kent Keralites who wooed everyone with their high energy performances, the ever popular Kings of Dhol, and Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band amongst many others.

    Other highlights included D-Bollywood, Bloco Fogo and Circus Raj. The event was climaxed with the One Love Orchestra who had everyone up and dancing to their renditions of classics by the king of reggae himself, Bob Marley. Deputy Lieutenant Georgie Warner was the Chief Guest.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “I am really proud of what we were able to achieve. The Tunbridge Wells Mela is a shining beacon of how music, food and dance can bring communities together and celebrate shared values. The event’s success is underpinned by the many loyal festival attendees who turn out every year to support and enjoy the rich culturally diverse offering that the Mela provides. I would like to thank everyone who worked with us to deliver the Mela and everyone who came and attended.”